The 11th Hour

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All Rise...

Judge Franck Tabouring urges everybody to watch this film, no matter what their position on global warming.

The Charge

Turn mankind's darkest hour into its finest.

Opening Statement

I think it's pretty safe to say that our planet is not in its best shape, and
a little help from us humans is strongly encouraged. But what exactly is
endangering Earth? How did we get this far? Most importantly, what can we do?
These are just a few questions you'll comes across in The 11th Hour, a
documentary intended as a way to raise awareness and persuade people to take
action against a possible ecological collapse. Unfortunately, the flick failed
to reach out to the masses and only earned a little over $700,000 at the box
office, which is clearly not enough to make a difference.

Facts of the Case

In an attempt to change the way most people perceive nature, The 11th
Hour focuses mainly on the potential collapse of the ecosystem, examining in
detail the several causes of the planet's much-feared ecological destruction.
Featuring numerous interviews with expert scientists, professors, authors,
environmentalists, and historians, the film emphasizes the current, critical
state of life on Earth and calls on each and everyone of us to recognize the
danger and do something about it. Global warming, droughts, extreme weather
conditions, and dirty oceans are just a few examples directors Nadia Conners and
Leila Conners Petersen focus on in building their arguments. If there's one main
thing we learn from this film, it's that the desperate condition of our beloved,
blue planet requires immediate attention and action.

The Evidence

So what does the film really tell us? Most of what the interviewees discuss
in The 11th Hour offers viewers a deeper insight into the state of nature
and mankind's strong impact on the health of the planet. No matter what happens
to future generations, they say, the environment is always likely to survive.
From interesting definitions of life to reasons why humanity is so special, they
examine a wide variety of issues tied closely to the main thematic of the film.
The fact that humans are the only ones to really affect the future is one of the
flick's many messages. The first major cause of concern the film addresses is
that humans are not in harmony with the planet anymore. Experts point out that
the people value the economy more than nature in today's world, which is why the
dangers of climate change and oil are often forgotten.

Most of the scientists the filmmakers interviewed don't blow smoke about
what they have to say. They clearly emphasize that whatever your position is on
global warming, the planet is warming and the evidence is right there. Droughts
and floods prove it's looking bad and, according to worst-case scenario
theories, millions of environmental refugees seeking a home could soon become a
reality. Transitions between major themes in the film are narrated by Leonardo
DiCaprio, who also produced the documentary. He leads from theme to another,
touching on issues such as the decreasing quality of ocean water and the melting
of the Arctic ice. On a different note, the film also tries to identify the
forces blocking change. Some interviewees blame the government for the absence
of action, but I find it hard to believe this is the only reason why people
don't recycle or care enough about the environment.

Is all this any good? While The 11th Hour is a frightening overall
look at the situation of the planet, it is also quite an important one. As most
of the scientists point out, it's not too late to take action, but timing is
crucial. The film may not necessarily change your life, but it does a great job
at clearing up misunderstandings about climate change, helping every interested
viewer understand the problem humans will have to face in the future if nothing
will change in people's behavior toward nature. Some of the interviewees
observations and comments pull you straight in and won't go of you long after
the film is over. Others discuss issues most of us are probably familiar with
already. Those of you who watched An
Inconvenient Truth, for instance, may find some similarities in the content
between the two documentaries.

Besides the rather simple interview segments, the film also comprises a
horde of impressive shots of floods, clouds, and storms. The directors really
emphasize the beauty of nature via dazzling footage from around the world, which
not only creates welcomed transitions between the interviews, but also injects
the film with variety. The 11th Hour is indeed a little long at times,
but the combination of panoramic shots, illustrated graphs, and DiCaprio's
narration comes in handy every time the interviews risk becoming too
monotonous.

I was really impressed by the quality of the picture, especially the
splendor and sharpness of the numerous shots of tropical forests, Arctic waters,
and snow mountains. The audio transfer is clean as well, and the many voiceovers
and interviews are loud enough and clear to understand.

As far as special features are concerned, the DVD includes five featurettes
with lengthy interviews about a variety of issues closely linked to the feature
film. Although some of these segments are pretty enlightening, they will
probably only appeal to those deeply interested in the scientific and
philosophical approach to the complexity of life and danger Earth is facing. The
best piece is "Solutions We Have Right Now," which focuses on the
total cost we would have to cope with to restore the world. Lester Brown,
president of the Earth Policy Institute, reveals some compelling ideas about
what we could do to stabilize the ecosystem. Other interesting featurettes are
"Nature's Operating Instructions and Solutions" and "Wonders of
the World," but they all seem like dry lectures without visuals or
variety.

Closing Statement

The 11th Hour takes pride in making a lot of environmental statements.
Even the DVD packaging itself is one, because the disc comes wrapped in a slim
case made with "100 percent certified renewable resources." All in
all, the film is an interesting expose about what happened to our planet over
the past years, what is bound to happen and what we can do to avoid a disaster.
If you are seeking answers to these questions, this is definitely a must-see. It
makes you want to think about nature more, and that's a good start. If they
could somehow show this to everybody on the planet, chances are people would
become more aware of what is happening to their only home in the universe.